1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for bonding a gas barrier film and an electronic device, to a method for producing an electronic device array that includes the bonding method, and to a method for producing an electronic device that includes the production method. The invention also relates to the electronic device produced according to the electronic device producing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic device such as an organic EL device requires a wire lead-out part or a lead-out wire (e.g., lead pin) running outward from the electronic device substrate.
Heretofore, in case where a lead-out wire is provided between a pair of substrates, a wire lead is fixed to the wire lead-out part previously formed in an electronic device substrate, and at the same time, another substrate in which a hole is previously formed partly in the site corresponding to the wire lead-out part is prepared as a sealing material, and the two are bonded and sealed up one by one (for example, see JP-A 9-129371). However, according to the method, continuous production is impossible, and the method is complicated as requiring a lot of steps; and accordingly, it is desired to simplify the method and to enhance the production efficiency in the method.
On the other hand, recently, the performance level required in electronic device sealing has increased, and it is desired to use a gas barrier film as the sealing material.
However, as compared with conventional sealing materials, a gas barrier film is generally readily damaged and is difficult to use. Therefore, in case where a gas barrier film is used for sealing an electronic device, there is a problem in that a wire lead-out part could hardly be formed in the gas barrier film.
Accordingly, it is anticipated that a method of continuously feeding a gas barrier film and bonding it to an electronic device substrate would be more difficult than a method of using a conventional sealing material; and in fact, that method of using a gas barrier film for the purpose is unknown in the art.